quantitative buffy coat capillary tubes versus thin and thick blood films in the diagnosis of malaria in Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

The quantitative buffy coat [QBC] capillary tube was compared with both the thin and thick films in the diagnosis of malaria among 3 groups of hospitalized patients. Group 1 comprised subjects with no symptoms or signs, group 2 comprised patients with fever and rigors of unknown cause, and group 3 comprised treated malaria patients consulting the hospital for a follow up. The QBC test showed more sensitivity than the 2 conventional methods in the 3 groups as follows In group 1 the QBC was positive in 14.2% compared with 9% only in either thin or thick blood films. In group 2 the positivity was 95.1% compared with 79.3% and 76.8% in the thin and thick blood films, respectively. In group 3 the sensitivity was 22.9% compared with only 5.7% in both the thin and thick blood films. It was found that the QBC technique in addition to its high sensitivity is very practical, reliable, simple and easy to perform. No doubt, the thin blood film is still the method of choice in species identification of malaria parasites